DULER: Salgaocar FC started off their Goa Professional League Season 2016-17 on a winning note, through a hard fought 7-6 victory via tie-breaker over Sporting Clube de Goa in the Charity Cup match, organized by Goa Football Association, played under floodlights, at Duler Stadium, here on Sunday.
The Cup which marks the start of the Goa Professional League was played between the two stalwarts of Goan football, where both the sides adapted to midfield tactics.
In the 18th minute of play, Gilbert Oliveira sent a neat pass to Liston Colaco, who after hoodwinking Sporting Clube’s Joyner Lourenco, saw his feeble effort strike the hands of defender Clemente Joseph inside the danger zone, prompting Referee Tejas Nagvekar to point to the dreaded spot.
Souvik Das made no mistake in scoring and putting the Green Brigade into the lead.
After a couple of missed chances, Sporting responded to the goal again from the penalty spot when stopper back Balwinder Singh brought down Sporting Clube’s Ganesh Thakur inside the 18-yard box.
Cajetan Fernandes, who stepped forward to take the spot kick, did well to smash it into the nets.
At the other end, in the very next minute Salgaocar FC were awarded a penalty while Sporting Clube’s Clement Joseph received marching orders after picking up his second yellow card of the match for a harsh tackle on Aslon Oliveira however to Salgaocar FC dismay, keeper Ravi Kumar came with a brilliant save to deny Souvik Das from scoring from the penalty spot.
Crossing over, both the sides renewed their efforts to claim the cup, where in the 55th minute Sporting Clube’s nifty striker Victorino Fernandes ran into the Salgaocar FC’s danger zone only to see his strike being collected by the keeper.
With the match ending in a 1-1 draw, the tie breaker was implemented where Salgaocar turned to be better shooters, scoring through Gilbert Oliviera, Umesh Harijan, Nano Hari Shrestha, Mackroy Peixote, Jovel Martins and Brian Mascarenhas while Cajetan Fernandes, Marcus Mascarenhas, James Fernandes, Glan Martins and George Fernandes scored for Sporting Clube de Goa.
Earlier, Sandeep Falari, Chairperson Mapusa Muncipal Council, Merlyn D’Souza, Deputy Chairperson MMC, Franky Carvalho, Councillor MMC and Chief Engineer Muzawar were introduced to the players and match officials by the GFA president Elvis Gomes and one minute silence was observed for the departed soul of Alex D’Souza, founder member of GFA.
